BioSyM brings together a multidisciplinary team of faculties and researchers from MIT and the Universities and Research Institutes of Singapore. Our research deals with the development of new technologies to address critical medical and biological questions applicable to a variety of diseases. We aim to provide novel solutions to the healthcare industry and to the broader research infrastructure in Singapore.

The guiding tenet of BioSyM is that accelerated progress in biology and medicine will critically depend upon the development of modern analytical methods and tools that provide a deep understanding of the interactions between mechanics and biology at multiple length scales – from molecules to cells to tissues – that impact maintenance or disruption of human health.

Mesenchymal stem cells (red, with blue nuclei) on a surface with mechanical properties similar to those of bone marrow.

MIT and BioSyM researchers have shown MSCs that were culture expanded on substrata of varying mechanical stiffness were efficient and sustained hematopoietic recovery in vivo.Additionally, results demonstrated that mechanically modulated MSCs can robustly improve the cell secretory profile and improve radiation rescue, as compared to either sorted DhiMSCs subpopulations or unsorted MSCs grown on typical cell culture plastics from the same donor.

Mucoadhesive PLGA Microparticles for Ocular Drug Delivery

BioSyM's findings pave the way for the rational design of mucoadhesive microparticulate ocular drug delivery systems that are capable of enhancing the bioavailability of topically applied drugs to eyes, as well as to other tissues whose epithelial surfaces contain mucosae.